


A New Star is Rising

by i_have_an_au_fetish (luciferslegions)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Consensual Infidelity, Denial of Feelings, M/M, Mpreg, NHL RPF, Possessive Zdeno Chara, Protective Jamie Benn, Relationship Problems, Tyler has psychic dream powers, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-06-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 16:56:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3700004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luciferslegions/pseuds/i_have_an_au_fetish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the NHL, team captains are Alphas; alternate captains are Betas; and everyone else is an Omega.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Most Important Meal of the Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 6, 2011 - Tyler Seguin scratched from game at Winnipeg for missing team breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I got this idea after watching the Dallas game in San Jose (April 6). One of the commentators said, and I quote, "Jamie Benn is definitely the Alpha Male of this team." And I cried because DAMN YOU RAZOR! I seriously want to kill Daryl Reaugh right now. Not even kidding.

The impact Tyler's head made with the wall caused his teeth to chatter. His vision swam, and he blinked to try and clear his head. When he noticed the look his captain was giving him, he started to wish that he still couldn't see.

“What the fuck, Seguin?! Because of your _screw up,_ Julien scratched you from tonight's game!”

“I'm sorry. I forgot to change my clock.” Chara's scowl darkened.

Tyler visibly wilted, and he couldn't look his captain in the eye. That all went to hell when large fingers gripped his chin and forced his head up.

“I may not be your intended, but you still belong to me. At least until your mate decides to reveal himself.” 

Tyler had known for a long time that Chara desired him, and the fact that someone else was Tyler's mate really pissed him off. His mate was not a member of the Bruins team, because he would have known that the day he was added to the roster.

Chara moved his hand from Tyler's chin to the back of his neck and pulled on his hair. Tyler's legs buckled and he had to lean against the wall to remain upright. He hated that trait, that weakness only Omegas had. Alphas took pleasure in flaunting their superiority by making Omegas feel weak and inferior. The easiest way was to grab the back of an Omega's neck, the most sensitive and vulnerable part of their body. 

Another pull made Tyler tip his head back against the hand there. Chara's lips curled into a sneer, revealing his teeth. He let go of Tyler's hair, and the young Forward leaned back against the wall. While he was trying to catch his breath, Chara bent forward so he was at eye level. Tyler shivered when Chara's lips brushed against his ear.

“See to it that you don't fuck up again.”

The testosterone was radiating off him in waves and it made Tyler feel hot. He wanted to turn his head, only those few centimeters, and feel his captain's lips against his own.

But that would never happen. Ever since Chara first came onto him, he had never once kissed him. He had bitten his neck one time, but that almost led to him bending Tyler over and rutting into him. After that incident, Chara's lips would linger against his skin for only a short moment. That was the closest he ever got to tenderness.

Tyler knew it bothered his captain that he was meant to be with someone else. Chara was in his late thirties and still didn't have a mate. Tyler wondered if he stopped looking.

Tyler blinked his eyes when he realized he was no longer short of breath. He looked around and saw no trace of his captain. He straightened up and patted at his clothes to make sure there were no wrinkles. He then headed to his hotel room so he could change into more formal clothing. It was the outfit players wore when they were scratched from a game due to illness, injuries, or in Tyler's case major fuck-ups.

~*~

When he entered the hotel room, he saw that his roommate was there, frantically looking through his belongings. Because of all the clothes strewn around the floor, including Tyler's side of the room, it obviously wasn't going well. Tyler sat down on his bed, threw a sock to the side, and heaved a sigh. This caught the other man's attention.

“Hey Tyler, have you seen my mouth guard?”

“It's not in your duffel?”

“If it _was_ I wouldn't be here.”

“Well, Brad, I don't know what you did with it,” Tyler said with fake exasperation.

“That's okay. I'll just borrow yours since you're not using it.”

“What?! No!” Brad turned his head and looked at him with a pointed look.

“Kidding.” Tyler shook his head. “So did you really forget to change your clock to Winnipeg time?”

“Oh. You know about that, huh?”

“ _Everybody_ knows about it,” Brad said before turning back to his stuff. Tyler grimaced. “Was Z pissed?”

“Of course,” Tyler replied, absentmindedly scratching the back of his neck as if trying to get rid of all traces of the other man's fingers.

“It wasn't _too_ bad, was it?”

“The same as usual, I guess.” Tyler shrugged.

Brad's shoulders sagged and his expression turned sad, which was a bit unusual for his fiery teammate.

“Maybe when your mate finds you things will be better.” An Omega doesn't seek his mate; the Alpha looks for their Omega.

“Maybe.”

Brad was the person he was closest to on the Bruins team. Even if Brad had been an Alpha or Beta, Tyler knew nothing would have changed between them. Off the ice, Brad was laid-back and had a quirky personality. On the ice, he was a fierce athlete who wouldn't hesitate to start a fight.

Tyler hated to admit it, but he found it the slightest bit amusing when he and Brad would joke around or give each other small hugs and Chara's face turned red. He knew an angry Alpha was nothing to laugh about, but there was something Tyler just couldn't understand. Out of all the athletes in the NHL, why _him?_ There was nothing special about him.

Tyler was brought out of his musings when Brad stood up with a huff.

“Looks like I'll have to go without.”

“I'll be praying for you.” Brad looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“For what?”

“That you don't get punched in the face.” Tyler laughed when the other male rolled his eyes. “Have fun, okay? And you'd _better_ win.”

“We will, don't worry your little self.”

After Brad left, Tyler got up from his bed and looked for his Suit of Shame. When he was dressed, he turned the light off and closed the door.

~*~

They lost 2-1. Tyler refused to believe it was because he didn't play. Winnipeg just had a better night, that's all. His absence had nothing to do with the final results. Even though he tried to convince himself it was true, he still had an unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach.

When the team walked down the hall on their way to the locker room, Tyler averted his gaze. He could still feel Chara's heated glare aimed at the top of his head, as well as Brad's empathetic eyes. Tyler knew he could always count on Brad to make him feel better, especially after a confrontation with their captain.

Within less than an hour the team was loading gear and boarding the bus. Tyler found a window seat near the back and Brad sat down next to him. Across the aisle were Patrice and Chara. Brad could tell Tyler didn't feel well, so he turned to his left and started a conversation with Patrice. A few minutes after the bus pulled out of the parking lot, Tyler was asleep with his face pressed against the glass.


	2. Dream a Little Dream of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler has a strange dream about his mate, but it doesn't bring him much closure.

_Tyler wasn't sure where he was, but because of the familiar cool air, he figured he was probably at an ice rink. He looked down at the ice, but the Bruins logo was not there. Instead it was green and looked like an oddly shaped star. He could make out figures passing by him and he could hear the distinct sound of pucks smacking the walls. The figures skated in circles around him, and it was making him dizzy._

_Then one of the skaters split from the group and came over to him. It was hard to distinguish any features except a dark green jersey, short dark hair, and brown eyes that were similar to his own. They focused only on him. The other man raised his left arm and placed a hand on his shoulder. Tyler stumbled when the hand shook him. He was jostled again, and then he heard his name._

_“Hey Tyler, you're snoring.”_

Tyler opened his eyes sleepily and slowly sat up. He wiped the drool from his mouth then yawned.

“How long was I asleep?”

“Not long. What were you dreaming about?”

Tyler was about to answer him, but then he changed his mind. He leaned towards Brad and brought a hand to his mouth.

“I'll tell you about it later. Because.” He inclined his head towards the other aisle, where Patrice was on his phone and Chara was glaring out the window. Brad nodded in understanding and left it at that.

~*~

That evening, Tyler decided to skip dinner and just stay in his room. He made sure to ask whether or not it was okay, despite the fact that other players had done this in the past. He didn't want Julien to scratch him again, especially since their next game was at home. 

While his roommate was out, Brad came up and stayed with him. They had a feeling Tuukka wouldn't mind.

“So what were you dreaming about earlier?” Brad asked before taking a sip of his Coke.

Tyler hesitated, because he really wasn't sure _what_ it was about. But he had promised Brad that he would tell him.

“I don't actually know. It was fuzzy and kinda hard to make anything out.”

“Well, what _do_ you remember?”

“Okay, so I was at an ice rink. But I don't know which one. I wasn't familiar with their logo.”

“What did it look like?”

“I think it was a white star. Or maybe silver.” Brad seemed to be contemplating this.

“Well, Dallas has a star, obviously. But it's green.” Tyler nodded. “So what else do you remember?”

“Um, well I think it was warm-ups, because there were people skating around in circles and hitting pucks at the glass.”

“Did you recognize anyone?” Tyler shook his head. “So then what happened?”

“They kept skating around me as if they were just a solid green blur. And then one of them came over to me. It was hard to actually see what he looked like, but I was able to see the 'C' on his jersey. He put a hand on my shoulder, and...”

“Aaaaaaaaand?”

“Well, I dunno. It was weird. Like...when he touched me, I just felt so calm and at peace. I felt happy. Even more so than when we won the Cup last season.”

“Hmm.” Brad took another swig and licked his lips. “You think it could've been _him?_ ”

Tyler was about to answer him, but he faltered. He looked down at his folded hands in his lap.

“I...don't know. Is that how you're supposed to feel when you're with your mate?”

“Well, I _do_ know that when Jonny first met Kaner, they were all googly eyed for each other.” Tyler blanched.

“It was nothing like that. I could barely make his face out anyway.”

“Maybe it's different for each pairing.” Brad watched Tyler's face, and he could tell something was on his mind. “Penny for your thoughts?”

“Oh, um,” Tyler scratched at his neck again. “I uh...I just wonder if Z ever had anyone, or if he gave up.”

“Well, he _is_ almost forty years old. Either his mate is really hard to find, or he gave up.”

“That's sad,” Tyler said in a whisper, just in case Chara somehow heard him and broke down the door.

“He wants you. Even though he doesn't always show it, he's not interested in anyone else.” Tyler was afraid of that. “Even fucking _Subban_ knows about his weird infatuation with you.”

“Don't say it like that. It's...it just makes the situation seem worse than it already is.”

“Sorry, man. But you know, he does care about you. In his own special way.” Brad set his empty can on the bedside table, then twisted around so he was on his back with his legs crossed. He was still wearing his shoes.

“Brad, you do know that's Tuukka's bed.”

“No it's not. It's the hotel's bed.” Tyler gave him a reproachful look. “Don't worry about it. He won't even know I was here.”

As if on cue, the Finnish goaltender opened the door and took a couple steps inside the room. He faltered when he saw that someone was already sprawled on his bed.

“Am I in the wrong room?”

“Nope. I was just leaving,” Brad said as he swung his legs over the side and pushed himself up. Just as he was stepping towards the door, Tyler cleared his throat.

“You almost forgot this.” Tyler threw the empty can and Brad clumsily caught it.

“Thanks, man. You always take such good care of me.” Tyler rolled his eyes. “See you tomorrow.”

After the door closed behind him, Tuukka stared at it with a dumbfounded expression. Tyler wondered if the goaltender questioned whether or not Brad did this sort of thing on a regular basis.

“Tuukka, are you planning on staring at the door all night?”

The other male seemed to have returned to the world of the living and smiled sheepishly. The Bruins goaltender was an attractive man and only a few years older than himself. Tyler wondered what kind of person Tuukka was meant to be with. He also wondered what kind of person _he_ was meant to be with, and how long they had been looking for him.

“So, we play at home tomorrow,” Tyler said, trying to break the silence.

“Mmm hmm,” Tuukka replied as he sat down on his bed and started taking off his shoes.

“Um...I just wanted to say that...I'm sorry. For what happened tonight.”

“No, it's okay. We can't win them all, right?”

“It'd be nice if we could.”

“If that were the case, we would need to start with Tim a lot more. Or hire another goaltender. Because I would be too exhausted from all those games.”

“Yeah. I guess you're right.”

~*~

When Tyler came out of the shower, Tuukka was already asleep. He couldn't blame him, considering how hard he tried to win for their team. Tyler couldn't even imagine what it was like to be a goalie, especially after losing a game.

Tyler got in bed as quietly as he could, and even though he wasn't as tired as his teammates, he fell asleep within a few minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish Marchand was my best friend.


	3. Call in the Professionals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler has another dream and Brad appoints himself as Tyler's dream interpreter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who don't know which injury this is:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C02_j4RoBvg
> 
> And this is the old Dallas uniform (so glad they changed them):
> 
> http://1.cdn.nhle.com/nhl/images/upload/gallery/2011/12/136299473_slide.jpg

_The scenery was familiar. Not only because Tyler had practically grown up on ice rinks, but because he was at the rink with the strange logo._

_It wasn't warm-ups this time, because he could see the other team members skating among them. Tyler did recognize the Panthers logo, and because of the white jerseys he knew the athletes in green had a home-field advantage._

_He felt a light tug on his arms, and when he looked down he realized he was wearing the green uniform and the puck had just tapped his stick. On instinct, he started skating towards the opponent's goal. Tyler looked to his left and quickly made eye contact with the man from before. Without even thinking about it, he passed the puck to him. He didn't get a chance to see if the puck made it to the net because he suddenly found himself on the ice. The air got knocked out of him, and his leg hurt so badly._

_Tyler tried to pull himself up, but no matter what he did, he just couldn't get to his feet. He even tried to put weight on his hockey stick, but to no avail. He eventually made it off the ice with the help of the team's medical staff. He was finally able to catch his breath when he reached the locker room._

_“Tyler, are you okay?”_

_What kind of a question was that? Of course he wasn't okay! He couldn't breathe and he felt like there was a bullet in his knee._

_“Tyler, can you hear me?”_

'What...?'

“It's almost six, you should wake up.”

'Wake? What does...oh.'

Tyler opened his eyes and blinked up at the ceiling. He could make out the faint outline of Tuukka, and he rubbed a hand over his face. With a groan he sat up and let his legs dangle over the side for a few moments. Just to make sure, he squeezed his right knee and thigh. He let out a sigh of relief when he felt no pain. 

Loud, persistent banging on the door made Tuukka jump and Tyler hang his head.

“Tuukka, would you mind letting Brad in?” The goaltender went to the door and admitted their visitor. “How'd you sleep?”

“I've had better nights. Peverley farts in his sleep,” Brad replied and plopped down on Tyler's bed. “I wanted to make sure you were up so you wouldn't get scratched again.”

“I appreciate that.”

“I'm going downstairs,” Tuukka said hesitantly from the door. He left when Tyler nodded.

While Tyler was getting dressed and looking for his comb, Brad was channel surfing.

“So are you in need of the dream counselor this morning?”

“The 'dream counselor'? Is that what you are now?” Rather than answering, Brad looked at him expectantly. “Yeah, I saw something. But it was a little weird.”

“You've said that before.”

“Yeah, I know. But this time I got injured during a game, and we were playing Florida. Well, not _we_ , but the other team from before.” Tyler patted his unruly hair down, then exited the bathroom. “I just hope it's not like...a bad omen or something. It was weird that I had a dream about the Panthers when they're the opponent for tonight's game.”

“Yeah. That is a bit weird. But you said you weren't playing for the Bruins.” Tyler nodded. “Maybe you're gonna be traded in the future and this is your new team.”

“But no one wears green. Not _that_ color at least.” He was referring to Minnesota's home jerseys. “I mean sure, that thing with Atlanta and Winnipeg happened last season. But it's highly unlikely there will be another relocation this soon. Right?”

“I haven't heard any rumors about it,” Brad replied with a shrug. “The Thrashers were asking for it if you ask me.”

Tyler didn't know that much about the former Atlanta Thrashers, only that they almost always lost when they played against Boston. At the end of the 2010-2011 season, the players were moved from Georgia to Winnipeg where their name changed to the Jets. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for the Thrashers fans to lose their team. 

“I guess I'm ready to go. Wouldn't want to miss breakfast again.” Tyler wasn't even sure what he'd put on to wear because his mind was elsewhere.

“Sounds good to me.” While they were waiting for the elevator, Brad leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets. “One of the things I _do_ like about staying at hotels is their continental breakfasts.” Tyler shook his head.

“I wonder what you would do for survival if we didn't travel so much.” The elevator doors slid open and both men stepped inside the lift.

“Yeah, so do I.” 

When the elevator arrived at the ground floor, Brad and Tyler immediately made a bee line for the dining room. Tyler grabbed a Danish pastry and a cup of coffee, then he found a table next to the windows. Brad sat down a couple minutes later with probably one item from each food piled on his plate.

“You could feed a small village with all that food.”

“Yeah, probably. But I need to keep up my strength for tonight. You know?”

“Sure, Brad.” Tyler cradled his chin in his palm and gazed out the window. He hadn't touched his breakfast.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Tyler sat up straight and looked at Brad with a thin smile.

“If you keep saying that, I'll go bankrupt.” Brad merely grinned unapologetically. “I dunno, it's just these dreams. I've never experienced anything like this before. Why now?”

“Maybe you're going to meet this guy really soon. And your sleep-induced brain is telling you to prepare for it.”

“How?” Brad shrugged. “Come on, you're supposed to be my 'dream counselor,' remember?” 

Brad took a bite of scrambled eggs and nodded thoughtfully.

“I'm on break.” 

Tyler rolled his eyes, but he expected nothing less.

~*~

After all of the suitcases were loaded and everyone was present and accounted for, the bus departed from the hotel and made its way to TD Garden. Brad went to sleep almost immediately, and Tyler couldn't blame him. Peverley's flatulence was practically toxic, and he could clear a room of flies with his gas. 

Tyler watched the rain pattering against the window and followed the drops with his finger. He reminded himself that he would need to wipe his prints off the glass before he got off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Atlanta Thrashers were an NHL franchise from 1999-2011. In 2011 the team was moved to Manitoba and became the Winnipeg Jets. 
> 
> Also, I have nothing against Peverley. I just thought the fart thing would be funny.


	4. Murphy's Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler has yet another dream, which thankfully doesn't include him being injured. Then he has an awkward encounter with Z during his morning jog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Tyler/Jamie interview for ESPN:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZJci8S_uQc
> 
> They're such dorks.

The Panthers shut them out with a 2-0 loss. It was a disappointment for not only the Bruins team, but also for their fans.

Now Tyler knew for certain that he was not responsible for their loss in Winnipeg. They just weren't having much luck recently. Losing two games in a row was always a confidence killer, but that wasn't the only reason why Tyler felt so skittish. It had to do with what Brad told him at breakfast.

Was he right? Was Tyler about to meet the person he would spend the rest of his life with? He still didn't understand the part of his dream where he got injured. The entire night, he was just waiting for somebody to knock him to the ice. But it never happened. Again, he squeezed his leg, but the only soreness he felt was from all of the skating during the game.

That night, he and Brad went out. They didn't really have any particular destination picked out, but they both agreed a brief time away from hockey would do them some good. They still had a couple of days before they needed to travel to Columbus and face the Blue Jackets.

On their way out the main door, they heard a voice calling out to them. They waited until Patrice caught up to them, and caught his breath, before heading to the streets. Naturally there were tons of sports bars in the surrounding area, but even if they wanted to go drinking, Tyler was still too young. They didn't want a repeat of the Foxwoods incident. And they would have been too easily recognized. They eventually decided on Regina Pizzeria. 

Brad, Patrice, and Tyler ordered three small pizzas, different flavors, then ate off each other's plates. Only a few people approached them for autographs or pictures. Or both.

Tyler was grateful for the small reprieve, and he knew his two teammates felt the same way. After finishing each other's pizzas, they headed back the way they came. The coats they brought with them weren't quite warm enough for a December evening in Boston, but they were pretty used to cold air. The wind was the biggest problem.

Tyler went to his room and almost fell asleep with his shoes on. Not that he hadn't done that before. He'd fallen asleep in his shoes more times than he would like to admit. He took a shower, despite the fact that he'd taken one in the locker room after the game. After he closed his eyes, it didn't take long for him to enter REM sleep. Tyler was hoping to sleep through the night without having any dreams, or at least dreams about his mate. Those dreams stressed him out more than they should have.

Contrary to what he wanted, his disobedient brain had other ideas.

~*~

_They were sitting in some sort of common area, and there was a camera pointed at him. He then felt something brush against his nose, and he saw that it was a microphone. The man next to him was asking questions, but Tyler wasn't focused on what was being said to him. He was trying to get a clear look at his mate's face. The more of these dreams he had, the easier it was for him to distinguish his surroundings._

_He was wearing a black baseball cap backwards and black t-shirt. Tyler was also wearing a backwards ball cap because he could feel it wrapped around his head. Tyler never liked the way he looked with a baseball cap, turned any direction. They made his ears look big._

_He was being asked about horses. For what reason, he couldn't be sure. But this was just a dream, so who cares?_

_“I like stallions more.”_

_“Would you ever go horseback riding with me?”_

_'Definitely yes,' Tyler thought to himself._

_“Probably not.”_

_'Wait, why did I say that? That's not what I meant!'_

_“Why not?”_

_“Um...it would be a long time hanging out with you.”_

_'What the hell is going on with my brain today?'_

_“Are we not the bestest of friends already?”_

_“Only in the media.”_

_So apparently there were two different mindsets going on at once. Tyler, who was having the dream, and Tyler in the dream. And there was way too much disagreement taking place._

_He needed to wake up._

~*~

Tyler opened his eyes and turned over to look at his clock. It read 4:29 in big red numbers. He heaved a sigh, then decided to get up since he was already awake. 

Even though Tyler was going to be working out and practicing almost the entire day, he just needed to rid himself of his jitters. Tyler changed into a pair of sweat pants, a t-shirt and hoodie, and a pair of jogging shoes.

When he stepped outside, he immediately pulled his hood up to protect his face from the wind. Tyler originally had no plans for where he was going, but he settled on running with his back to the wind. Thankfully there weren't very many people out driving at 5 am, so he didn't have to worry about running in place at crosswalks for too long.

“Seguin!”

Tyler looked around for someone familiar. Then he saw his freakishly huge teammate, and his shoulders drooped slightly. Tyler was hoping to get rid of his stress this morning, but the sudden appearance of his captain made that impossible. When Chara was close enough, Tyler could see the sweat on his neck underneath the streetlight.

“You got an early start?”

“I've been awake since two. Started jogging at 2:30.”

“And you're not tired?”

“Just a little bit. I have a lot more stamina.”

“Yes. I can see that.” Chara furrowed his eyebrows and looked Tyler up and down.

“Are you cold?”

“Just a little bit.” Truthfully, Tyler was shaking because he always got nervous when he was in his captain's presence. Especially when the larger man was pissed at him. “I uh...I think I'm done.”

“I think Dunkin' Donuts might be open. If you want to get some coffee.”

“No thank you. I think I'm going to head back and shower,” Tyler replied with hesitancy. He couldn't look at Chara directly, but he tried to observe him through his peripheral vision.

“Sure. I'm not going to head back yet.” Because apparently he still had energy to burn off. “I'll see you at practice.”

Tyler nodded silently and remained as still as possible until Chara started walking again. Just before he was out of earshot, Tyler remembered something.

“Z?” The Bruins captain paused and turned back to look at him. “How did you know it was me? I had my hood up.”

The look on Chara's face was the closest it would ever get to adoration.

“I just knew.”

As Chara's form got smaller and smaller, Tyler stood motionless in place. His heart was lodged in his throat and he was shaking even more than he had been before. One thought filled his mind.

What if Brad had been right?


	5. Stupid in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 31, 2011 - Boston plays Dallas for the first and only time during the season. Tyler finally learns who he's meant to be with, but he doesn't know how to proceed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Tyler started with the Bruins in 2010, they faced Dallas two times: February 3, 2011, and December 31, 2011. He was traded in 2013. 
> 
> Jamie Benn did not play in the February 3 game. Which is awesome because I don't have to worry about inconsistencies. *happy dance*

The Bruins won their next seven games. Columbus, Los Angeles, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Montreal, Florida, Phoenix. Now they were headed to Dallas.

Tyler was glad they were winning games, but he had a strange feeling that this one would be different. He had only played against Dallas one other time since the Bruins drafted him. It was February of this year, and they won 6-3.

Brad was the first person to notice his odd behavior, and as Tyler's best friend, he was obligated to investigate.

“Hey Tyler, what's up? You're acting all weird.”

“Oh, sorry. I guess I didn't notice.” Brad pursed his lips and watched his friend more closely.

“Was it Z? Did something else happen?” Tyler had told Brad about his encounter with Chara during his early morning jog. If there had been any sort of bet, Tyler would have owed him money.

“No. It's nothing like that.”

“Then...what _is_ it like?” Tyler sighed and ran a hand tiredly over his face.

“It's about tonight's game. I just have this weird feeling. I can't explain it.”

“Maybe you caught Peverley's gas.” Tyler gave him a reproachful look. “Kidding.”

“Uh huh.”

“So what does it feel like?”

“Well, not exactly nausea. It's more like...”

“Butterflies in your stomach?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that's it exactly.”

“So why do you think tonight's game will be weird? Are your psychic dream powers telling you we're gonna lose?”

“I don't have any powers, Brad.”

“You totally have psychic dream powers, and that's fucking awesome.”

_“I don't have psychic powers of any kind.”_

“Well, pretend for a minute that you do. What are they telling you?” Tyler sighed again.

“That I'm going to meet him tonight.”

“You think your mate plays for the Dallas Stars? That's kinda random, considering we hardly ever play against them.”

“I dunno. I just...I dunno.”

“Well, I think you should be happy about this.”

“Why's that?”

“For one thing, you're gonna find out who your mate is. And secondly, maybe you'll stop having all those crazyass dreams.” Tyler chuckled.

“Yeah. That would be nice.”

“So have you had any sex dreams yet?”

“Shit, Brad! You've _completely_ ruined my day!”

“So...have you?” Tyler scowled at him.

_“No.”_ He shook his head. “Jesus...”

“Sorry, man. Just wanted to see if your psychic dream powers were being put to good use.” Tyler leaned towards him and pointed a finger at his chest.

“This conversation does not leave this bus. _Ever._ ”

“Sure.” His tone was not one of genuine honesty.

~*~

When the team got off the bus, they felt like they were about to melt. The temperature in Boston was probably half of what it was in Dallas. Phoenix was pretty hot as well.

It was New Years Eve, and already people were getting ready for the fireworks. Texas had been in a drought for several years, so in some parts of the state, fireworks were illegal. There wasn't a burn ban in Dallas, so the locals were happy that dry grass wouldn't mess up their plans. 

As soon as Tyler entered the doors to American Airlines Center, he kept getting chills. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he just had a strange feeling that his mate was nearby. It made him excited, but he also felt nervous. 

If they did meet tonight, what would it be like? Would it be similar to Jonny and Kane? Or would his mate treat him like garbage? Tyler hated to admit it, but he almost didn't want this encounter to happen. Regardless of what his dreams were telling him, being left in the dark seemed like a better option than being rejected. Or having a nervous breakdown during the game. Maybe not having a mate wouldn't be so bad. Z seemed to be okay, despite his surly attitude. That was probably just an Alpha thing.

After their stuff was unloaded and taken to the dressing room, Tyler immediately jumped at the chance to play soccer with some of the other guys. Focusing on the ball helped prevent him from thinking about his mate. Before he knew it, it was time to gear up and head to the ice for warm-ups.

~*~

While they were walking through the tunnel, Brad came over and bumped Tyler's shoulder. He was always the first person to notice when something was wrong.

“What's up?” He always started with that. Tyler heaved a sigh.

“I'm scared, Brad. I'm really scared.” Brad frowned slightly.

“Just concentrate on the game. Don't think about anything else.”

“It's kinda hard not to when my skin burns so much and I feel like my organs have all turned to mush.”

“Yikes.”

“Is it _supposed_ to feel this bad? I thought meeting your mate was a _good_ thing.”

“Sorry, man. I wish I had all the answers, but I don't.” Tyler shook his head and offered a thin smile.

“It's okay. You've done enough.”

The cold air hit him like a slap to the face as he stepped onto the ice. He welcomed it. Patrice scooped the pucks off the wall and the players began hitting them in different directions. At the net, at the glass (it was always fun to watch the fans jump when a puck hit the glass right in front of them). They would alternate between passing the puck and stretching.

After one of the goaltenders was finished stretching, he would go to the net and practice blocking the pucks his teammates shot at him. In this case, Tim was first in net. When it was Tyler's turn, he found a loose puck and started skating with it. He was about to hit it, but he suddenly felt the urge to turn his head towards the other end of the ice. Timed perfectly, one of the Dallas players was skating past him. Their eyes met, and Tyler knew.

“Tyler, watch it!” Brad yelled. Tyler snapped out of his daze and barely avoided running into the wall. His skates created a shower of ice when he skidded to a stop. “What are you doing, man?” Tyler was breathing heavily.

“It was him.”

“Let's sit down before you say anything else.” They found a spot on the Bruins bench then leaned their sticks against the ledge. “Okay, now that we no longer need to worry about you potentially injuring yourself, please continue with your tale.”

“We passed each other, and it was as if my heart stopped. And I knew it was him because I recognized his eyes. They were the same from my dreams.”

“Which one?”

“Number 14.” Brad scanned the ice and the Dallas bench. “He's a Beta, because of the 'A' on his jersey.”

“Your mate is _Jamie Benn?_ ” Brad almost sounded appalled.

“I don't know who that is, sorry.” Tyler felt embarrassed that he knew absolutely nothing about his mate.

“He's a good player, I guess. Gets into fights sometimes and almost always wins them.” That didn't make Tyler feel any better, knowing that his mate liked to fight. Brad could sense his friend's discomfort. “Sorry, man. That came out worse than I wanted it to.” Tyler shook his head.

“It's okay. I guess any information is better than none at all.” Tyler slouched his shoulders. “But I wonder how this is gonna work. This is the last time we'll play against Dallas this season. I may not see him again until next fall.”

“You two are meant to be together. I'm sure things will work out. This match happened for a reason.”

“Yeah. You're probably right.”

“Anyway, you can tell me all about it after. It's almost time for the Anthem.”


	6. He's Just Not That Into You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 31, 2011 - Boston plays in Dallas; they lose 4-2. Tyler finally learns who his mate is, but it's not the meeting he hoped for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of time-skipping. I'm not going to write a chapter about every single day until Tyler gets traded to the Stars. That would be a longass story. Anyway, I basically paraphrase what happened at the Boston/Dallas game, but if you want to learn more about it, just read the Ice Tracker from that game.
> 
> http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/icetracker?id=2011020565

Just past the half-way point of the first period, Tyler scored a goal, with an assist from Krejci. Eight minutes later, Jamie Benn got an assist for Michael Ryder's goal. Brad got a penalty for stick holding, and Z got an interference penalty on the Stars Captain, Brenden Morrow. Half-way through the second period, Tyler served two minutes in the Sin Bin for too many men on the ice. And the final minute of the second period, Jamie got an assist for Tom Wandell's goal.

Boston lost 4-2. Tyler was right when he said this game would be different. But he got a goal, which had to count for something.

After the final buzzer, the Bruins immediately filed into the tunnel and headed towards the dressing room. It wasn't like the Playoffs or the Olympics, so there were no hand shakes and meaningless “good game”s. Tyler spared a glance towards the Dallas team. Jamie didn't look in his direction at all. He was too busy celebrating the victory.

Even though he was disappointed, Tyler did feel somewhat calmer. But he also felt like a fool. He was worried the entire night about meeting his mate and how the other man would react to seeing him. Now that he knew Jamie didn't care about him, Tyler was no longer concerned about first impressions.

He still wanted to cry though. But that would have to wait until he got to his room. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Brad about it yet, because he didn't want to be a groveling mess of snot and tears.

He called Brad anyway.

~*~

It seemed to take a lot longer for Brad to get there than it actually did. Tyler was doing an okay job at keeping his feelings pent up, but as soon as Brad opened the door, he started sobbing.

“Just give me a sec,” Brad said as he turned on the TV. He did a channel search, then turned it to _Everybody Loves Raymond_. He turned the volume down and dropped the remote on the chair. “Okay, tell me all about it.”

“He didn't notice me at all! He looked at me that _one time_ during warm-ups, and then he just ignored me the rest of the game!” Brad shook his head.

_“You're_ the one who wasn't looking.”

“What?”

“I guess you didn't see him, when you scored that goal. He looked...proud I guess. Despite the fact you're on opposing teams.”

“He was proud of me?”

“Yeah, weird huh? You must not have noticed because you were too busy being hugged.” Tyler rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.

“Well damn. Now I feel like a piece of shit. And I'll probably never see him again.”

“You will. It's your density.”

Despite the fact that he liked the movie, Tyler was getting tired of Brad always making _Back to the Future_ references. At appropriate times and inappropriate times. Tyler wasn't quite sure which one this was. 

“Okay, Brad. Whatever you say.”

“So what else is on your mind?”

“Well, it's sort of embarrassing.”

“I am here to listen.”

“You probably don't have an answer for this, but...” Tyler ran a hand over his face. “Have you ever heard of someone finding their mate, but they don't want to be together? Like they just choose to remain separate.”

“I haven't heard of something like that. Never even thought about it. Everyone seems to be okay with their partners.” Brad watched Tyler intently, then raised an eyebrow. “Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?”

“That depends. What do you think I'm thinking?”

“Z.” Tyler slumped his shoulders and stared at the floor.

“Yeah,” he replied in a whisper.

“That's a _very_ bad idea, man. Don't even _consider_ something like that.”

“I know. But what if I'm happier with him?”

“You won't be. Nothing good would ever come out of it.” Tyler nodded weakly.

“Yeah. Okay.”

“Anyway, let's watch _Raymond_ for a while. I know how much you like the fairy episode.”

“I'm pretty sure that's _you_.” 

Brad didn't answer him. He pulled his phone out and waited a few seconds before the other person picked up.

“Hey Patrice, get over to Tyler's. We're binging on re-runs and diabetes.” Meaning junk food.

They stayed up all night and watched _Everybody Loves Raymond_ , _Two and a Half Men_ , and _The Simpsons_ while stuffing their faces with Hot Pockets, Ritz crackers, and orange juice. They felt like utter shit about two hours in.

~*~

The Bruins wouldn't play again until Wednesday, at New Jersey. Not including travel days, they had about two days for practice and some free time. Which usually meant resting their legs or catching up on sleep.

Tyler had heard rumors that he might be playing in the 2012 All Star Game, which would take place the last weekend in January. He watched a few games from previous years, and he always wondered what it would be like to be a part of it. A lot of the fans didn't like the All Star Game (unless your team was hosting it), because they thought it was a waste of time and a distraction from the Playoffs. The players liked it because they didn't have to think about the Playoffs, and it was just like _Whose Line is it Anyway?_ Everything is made up and the points don't matter.

He also heard rumors that Z would be the captain for the away team. If he really did get to play, Tyler hoped he would be drafted by his teammate. He didn't know very much about Daniel Alfredsson. Tyler thought that the next couple of days would be a good time to research NHL players he didn't know.

Tyler wondered what skill they would give him. Probably not hardest shot. That was a skill more suited to Z or Ovechkin. He didn't know if Ovechkin was even playing. Tyler didn't seem to know very much about anything.

He got out his phone and went to the NHL website. He then did a player search. There were a lot of players Tyler had never even heard of, and he felt as though he should have. He would try to pronounce the strange names, with little to no success. When his head started to hurt, Tyler leaned the seat back and closed his eyes. He needed to catch up on sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just have a weird headcanon that whenever Tyler needs to vent, Brad turns on the TV to a comedy and lowers the volume so it's just background noise. And I really like the fairy episode. It's so sad that Sawyer Sweeten killed himself. :(


	7. Lie Back and Think of England

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler makes poor life choices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to update this. I have a hard time writing porn, and it still ended up being utter shit.

That night, Chara was his roommate. Tyler wasn't sure if his captain knew he'd learned the identity of his mate, but he must not have since he wasn't throwing things and yelling at him. Tyler wondered if he should tell him, because Chara at least had a right to know. But he was worried that his reaction might be worse than he thought. Tyler told him anyway, against his own judgment.

“Z?”

“Hmm?” There was toothpaste in his mouth, so that was pretty much all he could say.

“I uh...I have something to tell you.” Tyler could hear the other man spitting into the sink and turning on the faucet.

“What's that?” 

“Well, I...found out who my mate is.”

The water turned off, and there was an eerie silence. All Tyler could hear was his own breathing.

“Oh.”

Tyler was fidgeting and wringing his hands. Maybe it was a bad idea to tell him. Chara's mood swings were so unpredictable, and it was anyone's guess how he was going to react to this. The light in the bathroom was switched off, and the other man's large frame emerged from the darkness. Chara went over to his bed and sat down, looking at his folded hands.

“So who is it?” 

Tyler wasn't sure if he should tell him. Was Z planning on going after Jamie? Would he do something to him? But Tyler knew he had to tell him. Z being an Alpha always made him feel obligated to do whatever was asked of him.

“Jamie Benn.” That admission likely struck a nerve. Chara probably didn't like the idea that Tyler's mate was a Beta. 

“It's alright, Tyler. I'm not going to harm you or him. None of this is your fault.” Tyler started shaking, and there were tears streaming down his cheeks. Chara looked up when he heard him sniffle. “What's the matter?”

“I'm sorry. It's just...he ignored me. Our eyes met that one time during warm-ups, and then he never looked at me again.” Tyler knew that wasn't true, because of what Brad told him. But it was the truth to him. Chara didn't say anything, which made him feel worse. He hugged himself and sniffed again. “It hurts. And I don't know what to do.”

An idea, albeit a very bad one, popped into Tyler's head. He got up from the bed and walked over to his captain. He knelt in front of him and waited for the other man to meet his gaze. When Chara finally looked at him, there was doubt in his eyes.

“What are you doing?” Chara's breathing was short, and it was obvious that he was trying to restrain himself from doing something he'd regret later.

“Help me, please. Help me forget.” He shook his head.

“You should talk to Brad about this, or Patrice—”

“There's nothing Brad can do. Only you can do this.” The other man swallowed thickly.

“I can't make any promises that you'll enjoy this.”

“I'll take anything you can give me. Please.”

Rather than answering him, Chara grabbed his arm and pulled him up to a standing position. Tyler was nestled between his captain's knees, and they were nearly eye level because of how tall he was. While the one hand maintained its grip on his arm, the other went to the back of his neck. Tyler's breath hitched at the feeling of those fingers in his hair.

Chara applied pressure to Tyler's head until their lips met. Tyler wasn't sure what to do with his hands, worried that he may do something that Z didn't like. The grip on his neck held him anchored in place, and the hand at his elbow moved to his lower back, pulling him against the other man's body.

Tyler parted his lips for his captain's tongue and wrapped his arms around the man's broad shoulders. When Tyler started to run out of air, he pushed at Chara's shoulders. As soon as they separated, Chara's lips moved to Tyler's throat. Tyler tipped his head back to offer more skin, and he yelped when the grip on his hair tightened and pulled his head back even more.

When Tyler felt teeth scraping against his neck, he had to remind himself that this was okay. It was okay if Z bit him. It was okay if Z fucked him. Just as long as he didn't do those things at the same time. If an Omega was being penetrated and then marked in the process, they would be forcefully bonded to the Alpha or Beta who claimed them. Even if the Omega knew the identity of their mate, the Omega would no longer be bonded to them. 

The other downside was that the moment an Omega is claimed, they are able to bear children.

Even though Tyler liked what Z was doing to him, how it made him feel, he could still sense in the back of his mind that Jamie knew he was being unfaithful. He was starting to have second thoughts, but any feeling of guilt was gone when he was flipped onto his stomach and pinned to the bed. Tyler tried to focus only on the hands touching his body, and he tried to ignore what his conscience and his heart were telling him.

Tyler shuddered when Chara's large hand slid under his shirt. Whether it was a good shudder or a bad shudder, he couldn't say. He could almost feel Jamie's disappointed gaze, but he tried his best to forget about him. That was what he wanted; to forget the feeling of hopelessness that had settled in his stomach.

Chara's short fingernails scraped down his back, and Tyler had to bite down on his lip to suppress any embarrassing noises. It somewhat worked. Tyler arched into his captain's touch and clutched the sheets between his fingers. Tyler stretched his arms obediently so his shirt could be pulled over his head. He jumped slightly when Chara's teeth latched onto the flesh between his neck and left shoulder.

'It's fine. He hasn't tried to mate with me yet. This is okay.'

Tyler's breath hitched when Z's hands gripped his hips tightly and a knee started inching his legs apart. And then time seemed to stop. Tyler could feel the other man panting above him, and his harsh breaths tickled the back of his neck. 

The hands at his waist vanished and the extra weight lifted from the mattress. Tyler pushed himself up and watched as Z put on his shoes and headed towards the door.

“Where are you going?”

“For a walk.”

“Why did you stop?” Tyler almost shouted. Chara released a sigh.

“Because it's not right.”

“What?”

“Your actions were fueled by anger.” Z still had his back towards him. “Mine were fueled by my feelings for you.” 

Tyler couldn't believe what he was hearing. Z actually felt something for him, besides lust and rage? Was he telling the truth, or what he thought Tyler wanted to hear? Without saying another word, Z left the room and closed the door securely behind him.

Tyler got up on shaky legs and stumbled into the bathroom. He barely made it in time to vomit in the toilet. He felt worse than before, and he was actually somewhat relieved that Z was gone. So he wouldn't see the tears running down Tyler's face.


End file.
